MATCHBOOK WINES
Chardonnay
2012
About this winery
Why Matchbook? As a farm kid growing up in the late 1950´s and early 1960´s John Giguiere was a confirmed pyromaniac starting various things on fire such as his father´s wheat field. At one point, fearing total ruin from his kids burning him out of the house and farm, his father took them to the city jail for an hour stay to impress upon his brother and him the futility of their fascination with fire. John and his brother answered at a later date by graduating from random fires to the...
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Production notes
Six different clones of chardonnay were used in this Estate Bottled wine and all were picked at night and delivered to the winery before sunrise to ensure that fresh cool grapes were crushed. Clone 809 (the most exotic clone) was cold tank fermented to enhance its Muscat character. The other lots were barrel fermented and periodically lees stirred. Yeast “cocktails” (a mixture of the winemaker’s favorite compatible yeasts) were used on all lots to ensure complex fermentation characters would evolve in the wine.
Tasting notes
The luscious opulence of this wine is evident by its beautiful golden straw color. Aromas of spiced pears, caramel and baked apple are layered over butterscotch and brown barrel spices. The flavors are an enticing play of crisp apple and cream, Crenshaw melon and Crème brûlée. This rich, full-bodied chardonnay was crafted in the traditional manner with barrel fermentation and lees stirring to give the wine a luscious viscosity and elegance. This is a wine that says, “Hello! You are going to like me.”